MUMBAI (PTI): Rear Admiral Ajay Kochhar on Wednesday took over as Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet (FOCWF) onboard the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya, a defence release said here.

He took over from Rear Admiral Krishna Swaminathan at a formal ceremony, it said.

Kochhar, a specialist in Gunnery and Missile Warfare, was commissioned into the Indian Navy on July 1, 1988.

In a career spanning 32 years, he has commanded five warships on both the Western and Eastern seaboard including the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya, the release said.

On promotion to the Flag Rank he assumed charge as Assistant Controller of Carrier Projects and Assistant Controller of Warships Production and Acquisitionoverseeing all aspects related to construction and acquisition of warships for the Indian Navy, it added.